Turkey has a population of about 80 million and the number of the registered cellphones in the country is more than double that figure. Turkey is the third "chattiest" country in Europe with the average person spending 195 minutes on the phone each month.That is, up until now.

Despite all their communication gadgets and their traditional chattiness, nowadays Turkish people are afraid to say "hello" on the phone.

Even Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan mentioned in a televised interview with ATV that he could not speak on a crypto phone.
So who is the illegal eavesdropper on all these phone calls? According to the findings of recent investigations, the culprit is a parallel structure that acts in an organized manner within the Turkish state. This illegal structure is affiliated with the [Gülen Movement], an organization linked to former imam Fethullah Gülen.

The first serious evidence of this illegal structure within the state was recently revealed in the form of illegal wiretaps. After the reassignment of certain prosecutors revealed to have affiliation to the movement, the new prosecutors replacing them discovered numerous files confirming illegal eavesdropping on 7,000 people.

It is claimed that the [Gülen] Movement -which professes to be a "service movement"- has also infiltrated the Directorate of Telecommunication, which is authorized to tap phones pursuant to a court order. According to the latest findings, about 500,000 Turks have been illegally wiretapped through this institution, including politicians, journalists, artists and even the ordinary citizens who openly voice their opinions against this parallel structure.

The parallel structure in question leaks any illegally obtained audio and visuals via the Internet, sometimes directly as they are and at times after montaging them. Their aim is to take down the current government before local elections on March 30. This is why they are trying to manipulate public opinion and force people to pour out onto the streets [to cause unrest]. They are also blackmailing their opponents by threatening to disclose information about their private lives.

Nevertheless, some circles consider the government's proposals to take legal action in order to protect the private lives of individuals, as censorship. Some media organs have gone as far as claiming that the government will ban [social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and] YouTube after elections.

A few days ago I found the opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Erdoğan about such claims and criticisms in person.

Erdoğan said with certainty that "a total ban on YouTube is out of the question." He also mentioned that in order to protect national security and individuals' rights, it is among the government's duties to take precautions similar to the practices in Europe.

However, within the scope of the new Internet law, a website violating such rights may be temporarily blocked until the court delivers a verdict on the issue. So, a complete ban of certain websites is unlikely.

Moreover, despite the shortcomings in its democracy, Turkey is a state of law and order. That is why such an implementation does not solely on the party in power. Secondly, considering the level of technology today, the implementation of such a ban is in fact not feasible.
So, while the illegal stalking and wiretapping of individuals violates the international norms of law and democracy, the portrayal of these legal precautions by the parallel structure as "censorship" is simply comical.